While significant progress has been made in halting the spread of communicable diseases in Africa, rates of non-communicable illnesses, especially cancers, are rising. With just 5% of global funding for cancer prevention spent in Africa, a new global strategy is needed to help manage a looming health crisis. Dan Milner provides insight into the efforts of the American Society for Clinical Pathology and how the organization, along with others, are working to address this potential catastrophe. Read more

Africa should not be a “graveyard” for Linear Accelerators. There is an urgent need to develop a highly skilled workforce of specifically trained engineers, technicians and physicists necessary to ensure linear accelerators can be safely operated, maintained and serviced in low- and middle-income countries in Africa where the incidence of cancer is disproportionately high. Proper maintenance and repair plans, when implemented, reflect the continent’s capacity to maintain, install, commission and repair the highly technical medical equipment.

“Cancer ‘moonshots’ may improve individual outcomes in high-income countries with strong governance, but they will not solve the rising economic and social burden of cancer globally. What we need are ‘earthshots’ that focus on building infrastructure and delivering affordable, equitable and effective care.” Richard Sullivan, Nature

Today, World Politics Review, published the article, “How Better Cancer Treatment Can Also Mean Better Nuclear Security” authored by Dr. C. Norm Coleman, Miles Pomper and Dr. Silvia Formenti. The article was written in response to the Washington Post article, “How ISIS nearly stumbled on the ingredients for a ‘dirty bomb’” which discussed the dilemma related to the risk of terrorists developing dirty bombs from materials used for cancer treatment in developing countries. These countries need better technology and treatment environments, not only to support a transition away from cobalt-60 machines but to improve cancer treatment overall.

ICEC’s Early Career Leader, Mira Shah was recently featured in an Astronews article that highlighted her and several others’ climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Radiating Hope, an organization that has helped thousands living in low- and middle-income countries receive radiation therapy.

One of ICEC’s Early Career Leaders, Surbhi Grover, was recently featured in ASTROnews! Currently, Dr. Grover works in Botswana as head of department and is the only radiation oncologist from a U.S. institution working full-time in public health overseas.

Astronews recently highlighted ICEC and other organizations that have launched initiatives to respond to the global need for training and resources in radiation oncology! Read more about these initiatives and the organizations working to address issues in global health.

Today, World Politics Review, published the article, “How Better Cancer Treatment Can Also Mean Better Nuclear Security” authored by Dr. C. Norm Coleman, Miles Pomper and Dr. Silvia Formenti. The article was written in response to the Washington Post article, “How ISIS nearly stumbled on the ingredients for a ‘dirty bomb’” which discussed the dilemma related to the risk of terrorists developing dirty bombs from materials used for cancer treatment in developing countries. These countries need better technology and treatment environments, not only to support a transition away from cobalt-60 machines but to improve cancer treatment overall.